The Abu Dhabi Science Festival opened today, piquing the interest of children and families through interactive video games, big-budget space productions and a range of activities aimed to get kids passionate about science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) subjects.
Abubakr Al Menhali, who came with his two boys, Abul Aziz, 6, and Abdullah, 5, said that the festival offers kids a chance to get interested in science at a very impressionable time in their lives.
“When you teach them something at this age, it sticks,” said the Emirati who works for Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank. “And maybe one day, God willing, they will grow into careers of science and technology.”
Mr Al Menhali said that a special event like this breaks the monotony of everyday life and he enjoys seeing his sons experience new activities that can have a lasting effect.
“When you combine fun and education, it’s really something special,” he said “I wish they would keep this event open all year round, I think it would be great for everyone.”
The boys were participating in the archaeological dig exhibit. It simulates a genuine site and lets kids dig in several 4x4 metre sand boxes where organisers have hidden objects.
“They then take the objects and go to the classification section so that we can see the cultural significance,” said Adam Salinger, creative director of Children’s Discovery Museum.
Mr Salinger said that it’s all about encouraging children and their parents to take up science as a fascinating subject to be pursued academically and ultimately as a career.
“This is about discovery,” Mr Salinger said. “This is about turning something that is fun and saying that science is fully accessible. We want them to understand that thinking scientifically has a wide range of application and in the future as jobs for these kids.”
The festival, which continues until November 22 on the Abu Dhabi Corniche, is running simultaneously with festivals at the Al Ain Zoo and the Sharjah Corniche to reach a larger audience.
“This year, we are really focusing more on families,” said Dr Linda Silver, associate director of the Technology Development Council (TDC). “More of our workshops are made for full family engagement so parents will be able to interact with children.
Organisers said that the workshops will have shorter running times so that families can participate in more activities in one visit.
“We certainly hope that we can interest kids in science and technology” said Dr Silver “And interest them enough so that they pursue a career in science in school and they’ll look at degrees and ultimately careers in the field.”
As part of the TDC, Dr Silver hopes that these festivals will be able to influence the workforce in the UAE and help develop knowledge-based industries.
“To begin with, 60 per cent of the content is new, so people who come in this year can participate in activities that they haven’t seen before even if they’ve come to one of the other festivals,” she said.
The festival will include 19 local workshops designed by people from the UAE and intended for a UAE audience.
nalwasmi@thenational.ae
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Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
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8. Pillar 2 implementation
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9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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57kg quarter-finals
Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) beat Hamed Al Matari (YEM) by points 3-0.
60kg quarter-finals
Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) beat Hyan Aljmyah (SYR) RSC round 2.
63.5kg quarter-finals
Nouredine Samir (UAE) beat Shamlan A Othman (KUW) by points 3-0.
67kg quarter-finals
Mohammed Mardi (UAE) beat Ahmad Ondash (LBN) by points 2-1.
71kg quarter-finals
Ahmad Bahman (UAE) defeated Lalthasanga Lelhchhun (IND) by points 3-0.
Amine El Moatassime (UAE) beat Seyed Kaveh Safakhaneh (IRI) by points 3-0.
81kg quarter-finals
Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Ahmad Hilal (PLE) by points 3-0
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Fuel economy, combined: 12.1L / 100km
